Preliminary test for reprocessing technology development of tritium breeders

In order to develop the reprocessing technology of lithium ceramics (Li2TiO3, CaO-doped Li2TiO3, Li4SiO4 and Li2O) as tritium breeder materials for fusion reactors, the dissolution methods of lithium ceramics to recover 6Li resource and the purification method of their lithium solutions to remove irradiated impurities (60Co) were investigated. In the present work, the dissolving rates of lithium from each lithium ceramic powder using chemical aqueous reagents such as HNO3, H2O2 and citric acid (C6H8O7 · H2O) were higher than 90%. Further the decontamination rate of 60Co added into the solutions dissolving lithium ceramics was higher than 97% using the activated carbon impregnated with 8-hydroxyquinolinol as chelate agent.